Concerts and snow

December was a month filled with orchestra concerts, helping at the school and snow!  We got our first really good snowstorm and the kids even got a snow day.  That's unheard of here.  The kids were so excited.  It was on the day that Sadie's orchestra concert was supposed to be, so she was worried that it was going to be cancelled as well, but they said it was ok to proceed with the concert that night.  I think we ended up getting like 11 inches or something in a very short amount of time.  It was crazy.  So we had a fun day playing in the snow.  The kids spent so much time outside that day.  It was the perfect temperature...not too cold and the snow was really good consistency for making snowmen.  

Sadie is the one on the right in the front.  They did a really good job playing their songs.  I loved listening to the Christmas music!

When we came out of the concert, we saw Santa and Mrs. Clause sitting there.  Finley was so excited but when she got close, she got shy.  :)

I got to go to the school and help with their Santa's secret shop.  It was so busy because we had to help the kids that had missed it because of the snow day.  Some of the kids were waiting for an hour or so to pay for their things because we only had one register.  Zac also got to come help with his friends Lucy and Aubrey and others because he is a pack protector at the school. Then during lunch I got to stay and play piano for the orchestra for their lunch concert.  It was about 2 hours of playing music.  The kids were exhausted by the end.  ha ha  

Emery's group also got to play at Smith's for donations a couple times over the break before Christmas.  It was fun.

Her whole orchestra.  

Emery and her friend Attie.  

A neighbor invited all the kids over to build an epic snow fort on the snow day.  Then after a few hours, she invited them into her movie theater in her basement to watch a movie.  So fun!

Here's the whole group.

Sadie and Finley stayed home to keep me company while I shoveled the driveway.  I made it about one pass and I was pooped.  Well, Sadie, Zac and I had already shoveled one of our neighbor's driveways because he had a heart attack and they were at the hospital and she had called Rob to see if we could clear it off for her.  So I was tired.  Fortunately, my neighbor came over and said we could borrow his snow blower.  Thanks goodness.  My back is still hurting 3 weeks later from that shoveling fest.  I think something is out of place.  

Zac was the first one awake and this was his face when I told him it was a snow day.  Crazy kid.

IT's so beautiful and quiet when everything is covered in snow.

Emery and Riley.

Finley loves the snow!

Because it was a snow day I had time to make a fun breakfast.  This was probably around 9am.  ha ha.  We ate so late!

Christmas tree pancakes!

Then it was time for Emery's concert.  She did great.  She was the only one with a solo that night because 2 of the others who had solos couldn't come because they were in quarantine.  

I got to play piano for them.  I was really nervous, but I only messed up a couple times.  Ha ha

Emery helping Finley build a snowman.

 This was just a few days before the snow storm.  We were coloring the driveway with chalk.  Funny to think how quickly the weather can change!

Here is Emery's Solo

Here is one of the songs that Sadie's orchestra played

Giving machine

 For a few years, I have been hearing about these giving machines that the church has.  They are like vending machines that you can go pay for things for other people.  We finally made it to see one this year.  The kids all got to choose something to buy from the vending machine.  We got things like soccer gear for someone in need, some books for kids who don't have any, a water pump and things like that.  It was a good experience.  

The sister missionaries told us about these heated benches.  We had to try them out...especially because three out of five of my kids dressed in SHORTS!  Zac even finished off his outfit with flip flops.  Those benches were so nice!

Such a good idea.  This makes it so easy to donate to those in need during the Christmas Season.  

I caught Zac mid-sneeze.

Here's Rob trying to figure out how to pay for everything we got.  :)

Good experience overall.  Next time, maybe the kids will dress warmer.  

Emery is 10

 Emery had a birthday!  She now has to use all of her fingers to tell you how old she is.  She is really doing well on her cello.  She needs a bigger size...hers is getting too small for her.  

At her concert.

I got to accompany them on the piano.  

Cutie!

Emery is so nice to Finley.  When it snows, she will go outside with her and build snowmen and play as long as she wants.  All while I am warm inside.  :)

Early morning present opening.

She's been asking for overalls.  I think she rocks them!

We love having Emery in our family.  She's so creative and thinks differently than mine.  Happy birthday!

Christmas parties and such

We had some fun Christmas parties this year.  Emery got to go to perform at her friend's Christmas party.  They played cello and her friend's brother played violin.  They did great.  I got to accompany them on the piano.  

Cute Attie and Emery.

They brought a fun hat for her to wear.

At our ward party, Zac got to play guitar with his guitar teacher.  She is mostly blind, but she has done such a great job teaching Zac.

Finley loves wearing our Santa beard. 

Sadie came with us to see Emery and her friends play their instruments.

Riley as Santa.

Cute girls at our Christmas party.

Setting up our Christmas tree.  The kids are such good helpers these days.

 Rob let the kids put up the Christmas lights this year.  I had to go inside because I didn't want to be a witness to them falling off the roof.  Ha ha.  

Zac and Mom head to AZ

We had planned a few trips that required airfare before the pandemic hit and they got cancelled so we had some plane ticket vouchers that needed to be used up.  I decided it would be fun to go down to AZ and see the Mesa temple open house with Zac.  I woke up bright and early to Finley coming into my room and climbing into bed with me.  I never know when it's going to be her last time coming in to snuggle with me, so I allow it.  :)

She actually fell back to sleep...that usually doesn't happen.

Zac and I were leaving around 1 so we spent the morning packing and getting ready.  He was a bit nervous and kept asking questions about 9/11 and the planes crashing into the buildings.  I told him to stop talking about it because it would start to make me nervous.  ha ha.  

Made it to the airport and Zac was really nervous.  We brought a dice game to keep us occupied at the airport.  

Got onto the plane and got a seat right behind the wing.  

This is a picture of the Copper mine.  Emery always asks about it and wants to go there someday, so we took this picture for her. 

First item of business, eat at Jordans!  This is my favorite Mexican restaurant of all time.  It did NOT disappoint.  Thanks to my brother Scott and his family for picking us up from the airport and shuttling us around for a bit.

Zac spent hours setting records on this game.  It's the best game.  Very addicting.  Bullseye ball.  

Looking out the window.  There was a bit of turbulence on the way there.  I hated it, but Zac thought it was fun. 

While we were there, we discovered that Zac's feet are now bigger than mine!

Zac got to spend some time with Gunner.  Here they are playing Curses.

Sunday dinner.  It was delicious.  

These boys loved tormenting Isaac.

Cade and I were matching.

Scott brought his new game that he got off of Ebay.  It is now referred to as the 100 dollar board game because that is how much he spent on it.  We got to play it twice while we were there.  It was fun. Well worth the money I would say...especially since I didn't pay for it.  ha ha!

The next day we went to see the temple.  There weren't very many people there.  

After we saw the temple, we changed out clothes (in the car!) and walked over to the new visitors center.

Zac left his mark on this light board.  :)

Then we went down the street to an ice cream shop that sells BYU creamery ice cream.  I offered to pay for my mom's ice cream and when I went to pay, the cashier said "someone came in a paid for a bunch of people's ice cream, so you're good."  How cool!  Thanks to whoever did that!

Cade was so fun to play with.

We went go cart racing and it was a bit intimidating, but by the end of the race we were a bit more confident.  We wish we could have gone again, but that meant forking out more money...so we just did the one.

We went scorpion hunting in the backyard.  We found a good handful of them.  See that glowing thing?  THat's how they glow in blacklight.

We visited my grandma one morning.  We walked over from my parent's house.  She showed us how she practices her putting in the backyard.

She even showed us the proper technique.  

I love being able to spend time with my grandparents.  Wish we lived closer!

This is my childhood home.  It was fun showing it to Zac.  My parent's rent it out so we were able to walk around and see the inside as well.

Then we had to break out the double bike.  We took it for a spin around the neighborhood.

Stopped by a candy shop for a little snack.  

Then we went to the airport and found out that our flight got delayed.  It was already a late flight but it got pushed back a couple hours.  This was how we felt about it.  

Zac was tired so he layed down for a bit.

Here are some videos from our trip.

 

Riding the double bike.

Scorpion hunting.

The boys bugging Isaac.

Playing Bullseye Ball